Red Seal Cook Practice Exam

Which of the following lists the steps of the five mother sauces?

1. Tomato sauce, brown sauce, hollandaise, béchamel, velouté

2. Brown sauce, cream sauce, hollandaise, demi-glace, tomato sauce

3. Béchamel, velouté, brown sauce (espagnole), tomato sauce, and hollandaise

4. Béchamel, barbecue sauce, tomato sauce, hollandaise, and remoulade

The correct answer is: Béchamel, velouté, brown sauce (espagnole), tomato sauce, and hollandaise

The correct answer identifies the five mother sauces as: Béchamel, velouté, brown sauce (often referred to as espagnole), tomato sauce, and hollandaise. These foundational sauces are essential within classical French cuisine and serve as the basis for a wide variety of other sauces. Béchamel is a white sauce made from milk and a roux, and velouté is a sauce made by thickening stock with a blond roux. Brown sauce (espagnole) is created from a brown roux, mirepoix, and tomato puree, and it is deeply flavorful. Tomato sauce is made from tomatoes and often includes a variety of additional ingredients and seasonings. Hollandaise is an emulsion of egg yolk, butter, and lemon juice or vinegar, known for its rich flavor and creamy texture. Each of these sauces serves as a base from which a multitude of variations can be prepared by adding different ingredients or flavors, making them indispensable in the culinary arts. The other options in the list do not accurately reflect the classical five mother sauces, introducing either non-mother sauce items or incorrect combinations, thus failing the test of culinary foundational knowledge.